My Postpartum Fitness Journey Part 2

 

Postpartum fitness can feel confusing when you are trying to heal, feed a baby, sleep when you can, and somehow feel like yourself again. You may be wondering what workouts make sense, how often you should move, what to do with nutrition, how breastfeeding affects progress, and how to stay patient when the scale is not moving.

In this episode of Embrace Your Real, we are continuing the postpartum fitness Q&A to answer the questions so many new moms are quietly asking. We are talking workouts, macros, breastfeeding, finding time with a newborn, and rebuilding strength without rushing or punishing your body.

If you have not listened to Part 1 yet, go back and listen after this episode because together, these two episodes give you the full picture of what helped me navigate postpartum fitness in a way that felt supportive, realistic, and sustainable.

What’s Discussed:

  • What workouts I did postpartum and whether they were intense or low impact

  • How I made workouts happen with a newborn and an unpredictable schedule

  • What my nutrition looked like and when I started counting macros again

  • How breastfeeding affected my postpartum fitness journey

  • How I stayed patient when the scale was not moving as fast as I wanted

The Movement With Julie app made it so much easier to stay consistent postpartum, even when my schedule felt all over the place. You’ll get five brand-new workouts every week, and you can choose two to three to start. Head to movementwithjulie.com to get started.

And for nutrition, Macro Counting Made Simple helps you stop guessing and start fueling your body without restriction or overwhelm. Head to www.macrocountingmadesimple.com to get started.

If you loved this episode and already listened to Part 1, you’ll also love Episode 514: 10 Ways to Manage Your Fitness as a New Momma. It is the perfect follow-up for making fitness work in this season of motherhood.

If you want more from me, be sure to check out…

Transcript

(0:00) Hey there, beautiful human. (0:02) You're listening to Embrace Your Real with me, Julie Ledbetter, a podcast where I empower (0:07) you to just be you. (0:09) With each episode, I give you a dose of real talk and actionable advice for building your (0:13) confidence, honoring your body, and unconditionally loving your authentic self.

(0:18) Stay tuned if you're ready to Embrace Your Real, let's get it, let's go. (0:28) Hello and welcome back to another episode on the Embrace Your Real podcast. (0:32) Okay, this is part two of a two-part series, kind of all around my postpartum fitness journey, (0:37) and I'm answering your questions straight from my Instagram box.

(0:40) Now, you can totally listen to this episode on its own and get a lot out of it, but if (0:44) you haven't listened to part one yet, I just kind of want to give you a little heads up (0:48) because that one is already out and waiting for you. (0:50) I got really real. (0:52) I know I'm on the Embrace Your Real podcast, but I got real, y'all.

(0:56) I'm talking vagina real, okay? (0:59) We went there in part one. (1:00) So if you haven't tuned into that, be sure to check that part out and it is in your (1:05) feed because we cover a whole different set of questions over there. (1:09) And together, these two episodes hopefully really paint the full picture for you.

(1:13) So in this episode, we're really getting into kind of the practical stuff, the workouts, (1:17) the nutrition, the breastfeeding piece, the scale, not moving the mindset battles, all (1:20) of it, the real unfiltered answers to the questions that you guys sent me in my Instagram (1:25) question box. (1:26) And again, you guys did not hold back, which honestly, I spoke nothing less from (1:29) this community. But before we jump in, I want to take a second to say that the (1:34) response to this series has been overwhelming in the best way.

(1:37) Like the messages that I received even from part one of you guys have genuinely (1:42) made me so emotional. (1:44) And so many of you guys, I have said like, man, I just feel seen and I feel (1:48) understood and less alone in your postpartum journey. (1:51) And so that's exactly why I do what I do.

(1:54) And hopefully me sharing the real and the raw and just everything in between (2:00) has helped you. (2:01) And that's the whole point of Embrace Your Real, right? (2:03) You're not alone. You're not behind.

(2:05) And you are so much stronger than you think. (2:07) So grab your coffee or whatever you're drinking, pop in those earbuds and let's (2:11) get into it. And then also remember, when you're done here, if you have not (2:14) gone back and listened to part one, be sure to do so.

(2:17) It's really good. (2:19) And I go through a lot of kind of just transparent topics that a lot of you (2:23) guys have asked me about. (2:25) So you don't want to miss that.

(2:26) Before we dive in, though, I want to share this review. (2:28) She gave a five star review and said, peace of mind in a podcast. (2:32) I find so much peace in this podcast.

(2:34) Peace within my heart, peace within my mind, peace within my soul. (2:37) I look forward to my daily walks where it's just me and Julie. (2:39) And I just give it all to God.

(2:40) All my stress, all my worries, all my heaviness of the day. (2:43) I leave it all on those walks. (2:45) I love this so much.

(2:46) I could not agree more. (2:48) I was just talking about in part one, how movement, like when I get anxious (2:53) or when I get overwhelmed or when I get sad, walks are movement is medicine. (2:58) I truly believe that God created our bodies to move.

(3:01) And when we move, it is a form of worship. (3:03) And I just feel like I can release all of the angst, all of the anxiety, all of the (3:08) overwhelm that I'm feeling in my movement. (3:10) And so when I say the words honor your body with movement, I really hope and (3:15) pray that you feel that deeply, that you feel like it is a form of worship.

(3:20) It is a form of being able to just honor what God has given you. (3:24) And hopefully in that process of you moving your body, you can release some (3:29) of that energy and just worry or overwhelm or anxiousness or whatever (3:32) you're feeling on that day. (3:34) So thank you so much for taking time out of your day to send in this review.

(3:37) All right, let's dive into and answer more of your questions (3:41) about my postpartum fitness journey. (3:43) Question number one, what workouts did you do? (3:45) Were they intense or more low impact? (3:48) Okay. (3:49) So let me kind of just walk you through my postpartum.

(3:52) So I talked about kind of my traumatic birth in part one and I at six weeks (3:58) postpartum was so determined to get back to it. (4:01) In fact, I started at like four weeks postpartum really doing deep core (4:05) breathing and all of that. (4:07) And I was not feeling as much pain vaginally as I would like in my early (4:12) days postpartum, but it really, I really just think my hormones started to (4:17) kick in after I was exclusively breastfeeding Blake.

(4:20) And so by month two and a half to three and four months postpartum, (4:25) that was like my worst, but my early days postpartum, my body, well, I kind of (4:30) had, again, so I had a traumatic birth. (4:33) Blake was born in a hospital. (4:34) We came home.

(4:35) I was only in the hospital for like the actual birth itself was (4:39) as good as it could be, right? (4:41) It wasn't like so traumatic to where I needed to stay in the hospital or Blake (4:45) needed to stay in the hospital. (4:46) We got out. (4:47) I had him on a Monday.

(4:47) I was out by Tuesday afternoon at like 12 or 1pm. (4:51) And so my early days postpartum, I actually got home. (4:55) And then three days later, once I got home, I got the worst flu I have (4:59) ever gotten in my entire life.

(5:02) And that took me out for like 14 days. (5:04) And so it was like freshly postpartum at day three, I got that. (5:08) And then it took me out for like two full weeks.

(5:10) It was horrible on top of, you know, cluster reading and trying to (5:14) figure this whole thing out. (5:15) It was, it was a hot mess express. (5:16) But in those early days postpartum, I was just doing deep core breathing (5:21) and I was feeling pretty good once I got healthy again, after that (5:26) flu in terms of just like my core and feeling physically good.

(5:29) I don't know if I overdid it or if it was just my hormones that were (5:33) kicking in after I'd been breastfeeding Blake for, you know, a month (5:37) and a half, two months that I started to just feel so heavy and (5:42) like just, it was painful down there. (5:44) And so that really impacted a lot. (5:46) But in the early days, I was doing just deep core breathing movements.

(5:49) And then I started doing light dumbbell workouts at like five weeks (5:53) postpartum, six weeks postpartum was doing that for a couple of weeks. (5:57) And then I started to feel the pain, you know, I was maybe working out (6:01) consistently, like one or two days a week, dumbbell workouts, and then (6:05) doing a lot of core, deep core breathing movements for a few weeks (6:08) before I started to just feel so heavy and painful down there that it (6:13) was like to the point where even walking around, I just felt it was (6:17) so painful. And so I stopped all together at like three and a half, (6:20) four months postpartum, I stopped doing workouts all together.

(6:24) And so that was kind of my early days. (6:27) And then I went through pelvic floor PT, which I mentioned to you (6:31) and then graduated from that in mid May of 2025. (6:35) So I had Blake in July of 2024, mid May of 2025.

(6:39) I started I graduated that and was really starting to feel good again. (6:44) And at the same time of all of this, I forgot to mention in part one, (6:47) we were also building a house and moving. (6:50) And so I was going through so much change in my life that I was like, (6:55) oh, I cannot do everything and building a house and and moving (7:00) and just the change of every single thing and then just not feeling (7:03) my best mentally and definitely not feeling good physically.

(7:07) It was just a lot. (7:08) And so it was once we moved in here, which was June of 2025, (7:13) I really started to get settled in. (7:16) And once I weaned Blake in August of 2025 is when I started.

(7:20) And when I started with my workouts, I was physically I was feeling really good. (7:25) Like I had no pain down there. (7:27) My hormones that kind of regulated started to regulate out pretty quickly (7:31) once I stopped breastfeeding.

(7:32) And so I just kind of dove into my workouts and my core was so, so weak. (7:38) And so I started with a lot of bodyweight movements that I normally (7:42) otherwise do with dumbbells. (7:44) So think bird dogs, dead bugs, toe taps, knee ups, standing core movements.

(7:50) I've shared a lot of it on my movement with Julie in the past month. (7:53) I started out with all those moves doing just bodyweight and just really (7:57) trying to reconnect to my core. (7:59) And then for my dumbbells, I started light my allowed myself to be a beginner again.

(8:04) And so I started out doing, I think two to three days a week. (8:08) So I was doing a lower body and upper body and then full body. (8:11) And then I would sprinkle some core in there as well.

(8:13) Uh, pretty much on every workout, I would add in like five or 10 minutes (8:16) of just whether it was deep core movements or deep core breathing, uh, deep (8:20) core movements, again, starting out with bodyweight and then slowly (8:23) moving to more dumbbell and just over the course of, you know, nine, 10, 11 (8:30) months, building my way back up again, they were, I mean, all of my dumbbell (8:35) workouts are pretty low impact. (8:37) So they're not intense workouts. (8:39) And for my cardio, I was just doing incline walks on the tread, or I (8:45) was doing stroller rocks outside.

(8:46) I was not jogging. (8:47) I was not running yet. (8:48) Um, so I was just really trying to get my steps in overall.

(8:51) Question number two, how many days a week were you actually working out? (8:54) So this kind of, um, I just kind of answered this in question number one. (8:57) But when I first started back in August of 2025, like really intentionally (9:03) in my fitness journey, which I was already what, 13 months postpartum, I (9:08) was doing two to three workouts a week. (9:11) And then I slowly upped it to, I remember like in November of last year, (9:15) I was like, I think I can do four workouts a week.

(9:17) And so I commit, uh, committed to four workouts a week. (9:20) And today now being almost two years postpartum, I'm up to (9:24) about five workouts per week, like four workouts for sure. (9:28) Five workouts on most weeks, I would say.

(9:31) And then on my six and seven day recovery and then a complete rest day. (9:35) So kind of back to what I was doing pre-pregnancy question. (9:38) Number three, did you do anything specific or just stay (9:40) consistent with your normal routine? (9:42) That's a great question.

(9:43) I pretty much stay consistent with my normal routine. (9:46) I mean, I will tell you like when you are really trying to commit to a goal (9:51) and just have the discipline to see it through your days are going to look the (9:56) same, or they should look the same most days of the week, I would say 80% (10:01) of the time your day should look the same. (10:02) That's just kind of how you get into a routine.

(10:05) So I think, you know, having a baby and now a toddler, it's (10:07) so important to have a routine. (10:09) I just think that it helps them sleep better. (10:12) It helps them act better.

(10:13) It helps you mentally because you know how to prepare for that. (10:17) And so you have those pockets of time throughout your day. (10:20) And so for me, it was just staying consistent with my normal routine (10:24) in terms of workouts.

(10:25) And then I mentioned kind of my transparent story about wanting to get on GLP ones, (10:30) which you're going to have to listen in part one if you haven't yet back (10:34) in the first episode of the series. (10:36) But in October of last year of 2025, I committed for 30 days to get consistent (10:43) with my nutrition. (10:44) And so once I got consistent with my nutrition, got back into the groove (10:47) of things, I stayed consistent with that as well.

(10:51) Question number four, how did you work out with a newborn? (10:53) Like, where did you find the time? (10:54) Okay, that's a great question. (10:56) And I kind of shared like my journey at the beginning and question number one. (11:00) So having a newborn, I did work out for like early, early postpartum (11:06) before my hormones kind of started to kick in and I really (11:09) started to feel pain gradually.

(11:12) I would just work out while he was sleeping. (11:14) So I would go downstairs or I would do like a closet workout (11:18) or just breathing in my bedroom. (11:21) And then now that I have a toddler, I can't believe he's going to be too soon.

(11:27) I do my workouts during nap time, most of the time. (11:31) Sometimes I will do a workout while he's awake, but I just prefer to (11:36) do the workouts while he's napping. (11:38) I just feel like when he's sleeping, I have that me time.

(11:41) And me time is movement time. (11:43) And so I just feel like I'm able to fully dedicate that whether it's 30 (11:46) minutes or an hour while he's napping and then take the rest of that nap (11:50) time to do a workout or something for myself during that time. (11:54) And so that is personally how I kind of navigate that.

(11:59) Question number five, did you start counting macros again (12:01) or what does your diet look like? (12:02) Okay, that's a great question. (12:03) And again, I kind of mentioned that in part one. (12:05) So I started counting my protein in October of last year for the (12:10) first time postpartum and again, I did not wean Blake until August of 2025.

(12:16) So he was 13 months postpartum. (12:18) I was not really counting my macros during breastfeeding. (12:22) And this is probably something that I'll change if I decide to get (12:26) pregnant again, is I truly believe that counting your macros, figuring (12:32) out your protein at the very least, and then just eating enough during (12:35) your breastfeeding journey is actually going to help your breastfeeding (12:38) journey more than you not.

(12:41) And being scared about it for me, I was just scared of doing anything because (12:45) I was scared that I would lose my supply. (12:48) And that was like my number one goal was I at least wanted to get to a (12:51) year with of exclusively breastfeeding with him. (12:54) And then after that, like I kind of just put my hands like open and I was (12:58) like, okay, well, he's going to, you know, he's already starting (13:00) to eat solids and whatnot.

(13:02) And so if he weans himself, he weans himself. (13:04) And I hope that he would do that. (13:06) And he did.

(13:07) And so I was really nervous about counting anything or changing anything (13:12) while I was breastfeeding, because I just felt like I was instantly going (13:16) to lose all of my milk supply. (13:18) And so I didn't, but again, if I get pregnant again, I really do think (13:22) that at the very least counting your protein and just overall (13:26) calories will help so much. (13:28) And now with it being my second time going through this and not having (13:32) everything be so brand new, I think it would be a lot less overwhelming.

(13:35) But I get it now. (13:36) You know, prior to having a baby, I remember people coming to us being (13:39) like, I'm breastfeeding. (13:40) I'm so overwhelmed.

(13:41) This is my first baby. (13:42) I don't know if I can do macro counting. (13:44) And I remember going to them and being like, Oh, you totally can do this.

(13:48) Like you've got this macro counting is not going to be as overwhelming. (13:50) It's not going to be overwhelming. (13:52) And for those women, if I ever gave you that advice prior to me having Blake, (13:56) I'm really sorry, because I didn't experience what you were experiencing.

(14:00) And now that I have, I totally have empathy for you because I get being (14:04) a first time parent and trying to, you know, breastfeed, and that is a (14:08) full time job in it of itself. (14:11) And then also adding on trying to figure out your nutrition. (14:14) That's so overwhelming.

(14:16) And so I'm really, really sorry if that was something that I gave you in (14:21) the early days prior to having a baby, but now hindsight being 2020, I think (14:26) if you commit, if you are in it and you have the capacity to breastfeed, (14:33) be a first time parent, figure that all out on top of like learning (14:36) how to count macros, you're a superstar. (14:39) You really are a superstar, but I will tell you that counting macros (14:41) does get easier, so it will be hard likely for the first few months. (14:46) But once you get into a rhythm, it becomes second nature and you really (14:49) start to learn how to properly fuel your body and like what that looks (14:53) like in terms of portion control and whatnot.

(14:56) And so today, what does my diet look like? (14:58) My diet, I am very intentional about protein. (15:01) I am hitting for sure 150 to 160 grams of protein per day. (15:07) So very protein high diet.

(15:10) And I would say just based on my experience of counting macros, I'm not (15:15) counting every macro right now, but based on my experience and just knowing (15:19) portions, I would say I probably am eating around 21 to 2,300 calories a day. (15:24) If I could guess, I'm really focused on my protein, my fiber, and my water intake. (15:29) My water intake is about 120 to 130 ounces of water per day.

(15:33) Yes, it's a lot. (15:34) It's a lot of freaking water. (15:35) And yes, I'm in the bathroom peeing a lot, but I have found a system that works.

(15:40) So I have the 40 ounce hydrodrug and I do a 40 ounce hydrodrug before I (15:44) drink my protein coffee in the morning. (15:47) And so first thing in the morning, I just start chugging and then (15:49) I have my protein coffee and then I have my second hydrodrug, which is (15:53) another 40 ounces somewhere in the timeframe of like 12 to three. (15:59) And then I have my third hydrodrug in the, from like 4pm until seven.

(16:05) And I try to stop drinking a lot or have it all finished by 7pm. (16:10) So that when I go to bed by 10, I am not up peeing. (16:14) Like sometimes I wake up once in the middle of the night to go potty.

(16:17) But other than that, um, if I can really cap out my hydration, the majority (16:22) of the day, like before 7pm, then it's fine. (16:26) So that's kind of what my diet looks like right now. (16:30) And we absolutely are still having Texas Roadhouse once a week.

(16:33) That's just something that we have done since, I don't know. (16:38) We've been doing that forever. (16:39) It was Domino's Pizza in 2020.

(16:42) I think we swapped out the Domino's Pizza on Friday nights to Texas Roadhouse. (16:46) I believe we did it like 2021, 2022. (16:49) And I will tell you, Joshua and I really, the only time that we missed our Friday (16:56) night Texas Roadhouse on like our ritual of going to Texas Roadhouse and getting (17:01) takeout on Fridays is in my first trimester because the thought of chicken (17:05) and I get the grilled chicken salad from Texas Roadhouse in addition to, of (17:09) course, the bread rolls and the honey cinnamon butter, but the smell of (17:15) chicken and just the thought of it made me want to puke.

(17:18) And then also, this is so tragic, you guys, I was like wanting to vomit at the (17:24) thought of a Texas Roadhouse roll, which makes me so sad thinking about it right now. (17:29) But so for the first trimester, we did not. (17:31) But then thankfully second trimester on, it was totally fine.

(17:34) And then postpartum, we of course went back to that every Friday night. (17:38) We were doing Texas Roadhouse and we still do that to this day. (17:41) Question number six, were you breastfeeding while losing the (17:44) weight, did that affect anything? (17:45) So I kind of answered that in part one, as well as just earlier in today's (17:49) episode, I was not actively trying to lose weight, nor, nor really could I (17:53) like physically, I was not able to do that.

(17:56) And I mentioned this as part in part one. (17:58) I have so many friends and my sister who has had three kids, she's (18:01) breastfed every single one of them. (18:03) And she just effortlessly lost all the weight while breastfeeding.

(18:07) And I'm like, yep, that's not me. (18:09) My body holds on to every single ounce while I breastfeed. (18:12) It could be different if I really tried to prioritize my protein and just (18:17) overall daily intake, making sure that I'm eating enough while I (18:20) breastfeed if I have a second child.

(18:22) But I mean, my, my body pretty much freaked out at everything. (18:26) Like hormonally, eczema all over my face, all over my scalp while I was (18:30) breastfeeding, like my body and breastfeeding just, they do not have (18:34) a great handshake, I'll leave it at that. (18:37) Question number seven, how did you stay patient when the scale wasn't moving? (18:40) That's a great question.

(18:42) And I would say just allowing myself to be a beginner again and reminding (18:47) myself that consistent imperfect action over time compounds, I have said (18:52) that quote, I mean, at least for the last six or seven years. (18:56) And so it has been ingrained in me. (18:58) And so when I really committed to my fitness journey, I just reminded myself (19:02) of that consistent imperfect action over time compounds and leads to massive (19:06) results, and I would just say over and over and over again, I'm just (19:10) reminding myself and celebrating the small wins celebrating, you know, I (19:14) would try on like a pair of jeans and I would try it on like once a month.

(19:19) And if it felt a little bit less snug, it would be a win. (19:22) And so just really trying to focus on that. (19:24) And then also the consistency calendar hack, which I've talked about on the (19:28) podcast too, just celebrating the consistency of me checking off another (19:33) day of being consistent.

(19:34) And so instead of focusing on all the numbers and metrics, just really (19:38) focusing on the consistency aspect of it. (19:41) And so yeah, that has been, I would say that was like, definitely something (19:46) that really helped me stay patient while the scale wasn't moving. (19:49) All right.

(19:50) That is a wrap on part two. (19:51) I just have so much gratitude in my heart right now. (19:53) Like this two part series has meant so much to me to record and just respond (19:57) to the questions that you guys have had, because I think for a while I was (20:02) embarrassed of my postpartum journey because I am a fitness coach and I (20:07) feel like I should have had it more together postpartum, but hindsight (20:11) being 2020 and looking back on it, I'm just, I'm filled with so much (20:15) gratitude to where I am today.

(20:17) And I just want nothing more than to encourage you guys who are in the (20:21) thick of it right now to remind you that your postpartum body is not (20:26) a problem to be solved. (20:27) Like it's not something to be punished back into shape or forced (20:31) back to where it was before. (20:33) And just reminding yourself that your body did something so extraordinary.

(20:39) Like it grew life. (20:40) It brought your baby into the world and it's now rebuilding slowly, (20:44) steadily and beautifully. (20:45) And it deserves to be treated with patience and nourishment and just (20:49) so much grace, you know, the women who see the most incredible (20:53) transformations are not the ones who went the hardest, the fastest.

(20:57) They just aren't. (20:58) And so just reminding myself of that. (21:00) And I want to remind you of that.

(21:01) They're the ones who showed up the most consistently with the most (21:04) kindness towards themselves. (21:06) That is the secret. (21:07) And that is the whole thing.

(21:08) So there you have it. (21:09) That is part two of my postpartum fitness journey. (21:12) Again, if you have not listened to part one, go back and find it (21:14) in your feed.

(21:15) We covered so much over there, including stories that I never (21:18) thought that I would share out in the open. (21:20) But here we are. (21:21) It's the Embrace Your Podcast.

(21:22) So we're just rolling with the punches. (21:24) I hope that this series has given you some insight just on my personal (21:28) postpartum fitness journey. (21:30) I know everybody's is going to look so different.

(21:32) But I hope that there were maybe bits and pieces of it (21:34) that just encouraged you or reminded you to just keep going. (21:38) And if you've already listened to both episodes in the two-part (21:41) series, like you listen to part one and today, I also think (21:44) that you will like episode five, 14, 10 ways to manage your (21:47) fitness as a new mama. (21:48) It's packed with practical tips for really making it actually (21:51) work in the season of life.

(21:53) And it's really, in my opinion, the perfect follow up (21:55) to what we covered in today's episode. (21:57) So I will go ahead and link that in the show notes below (21:59) so that you can easily go check that out. (22:01) I love you so much.

(22:02) I mean it. (22:03) And I'll talk to you in the next one. (22:13) All right, sister.

(22:14) That's all I got for you today. (22:16) But I have two things that I need you to do. (22:19) First thing, if you're not already following me on the (22:21) Gram, be sure to do so Julie A. Ledbetter.

(22:24) Yes, it's with an A in the middle for that daily post-workout (22:27) real talk, healthy tips and tricks, and honest (22:30) accountability to keep your mind and heart in check. (22:33) The second thing, be sure to subscribe to Apple Podcasts (22:36) so you never miss an episode. (22:38) Thank you so much for joining me.

(22:41) It means the absolute world. (22:43) And I'm going to leave you with one last thought. (22:45) The most beautiful women that I have met in my life (22:47) are the ones who are completely confident and secure (22:51) in being authentically themselves.

(22:54) Remember that beauty goes so much deeper than the surface. (22:57) So go out there and embrace your real. (22:59) Because you're worth it.

 
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